Clutch for leather-stretching machines.



No. 824,139. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906.

E. L. POST. I

CLUTCH FOR LEATHER STRETGHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.7, 1906.

. az Q3" e y ,7 I 2 W I I //////////////A 0. 2 2 {2 I 3 I r a; INVENTOR izra Z. P052 QM WTTORNEYS UNITED STATES.

(PATE OFFIOE- EZRA L. POST, OF WALLINGFO RD, CONNECTICUT.

CLUTCH FOR LE ATHER-STRETQHING MACHINES Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1906.

Application filed October '7 1905. Serial No. 281.745.

To alfi whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EZRA L. Posr, a citizen of the United, States, residing at Wallingford, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutches for Leather-Stretching Machines, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertain's to'make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement on.

clutches for leather-stretching machines'such as are shown and describedin Letters Patent of the United States granted to me October 11, 1904;, No. 772,054, and October 11, 1904, No. 772,055;- and the object of this invention is to provide an improved clutch of i this class with improved means for connecting the same with the machine; and a further object of the invention is to provide an improved clutch of class specified which is so formed that it will securely hold the leather to be stretched without cutting, tearing, or otherwise injuring the leather, and whichwill not allow the leather to slip therethrough, and

which may be easily and conveniently connected with the machine in connection with which it is used, and which may also be quickly, easily, and conveniently adjusted to any desired position on its support or on the holder with which it is connected.

The invention is fully disclosed in the fol- 1 lowing specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts 0 my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in eachof the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a clutch of the class specified embodying my invention and, showing a holder with which it is connected and by'means of which it is secured when in use to the machine in connection with which it is used; :Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig, 3, a front view of the clutch with parts in section, and Fig. 4 a back view thereof. 7

In the practice of my invention I provide a clutch comprising a main body portion a,-

which is substantially segmental in longitudinal section and comprises a bottom art a a back art a and a top a which orms' a forward y-directed arm, to the forward end of which the movable jaw b is ivoted. The bottom part a of the main b0 y ortion a-of the clutch is flat on its under si e, as shown at a and said bottom part a is extended forwardly and curved upwardly to form the stationary jaw a, having an upwardly-directed transverse lip (17, which constitutes the operative member of the stationary jaw proper, and said stationary. jaw is also extended downwardly to form a transverse bearing member a in the same horizontal plane as the flat bottom surface a of the bottompart a of the bodyportion a of the clutch.

It will be observed that the bottom part a of the body portion of the device, together with the stationary jaw a and the parts a, and a is of considerable width, while the back part a of the body portion a of the clutch is tapered inwardly and upwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and extended forwardly to form the forwardly-directed arm a, to which the movable jaw b is pivoted. The movable jaw b is of the same transverse width as the stationary jaw a and is provided at its bottom edge with a downwardly-directed lip member b which operates in connection I withthe upwardly-directed lip member 0, of the stationary jaw a and bears on the top back portion of the said upwardly-directed lip member a of the stationary jaw, so as to securely hold a sheet or hide of leather 00 when the latter is placed in the clutch. In the form of construction shown the lip member I) preferably consists of a separate piece set into the movable jaw. It will be observed pivoted jaw I) does not bear on the top of the part a of the jaw a, but bears on the back of a said part, and this forces the leather 00 downthat the part b of the 1 wardly into the space back of the lip member d of the stationary jaw a, as clearly shown by means ofrecesses b in the edge of the part '6 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The movable jaw 12 is pivoted to the front end of the arm a of the main ortion a of the clutch by a bolt or similar evice 6 which.

passes through a transverse head a at the front end of the arm a, and the jaw b is provided centrally with an upwardly-directed.

roo

member I), which bears on the central portion of the head a of the arma, and said jaw l) is also provided with upwardly-directed journal .members 6 through which the rodor bolt b passes, and the holes in the journal members I) of the jaw b are elongated vertically, as shown in sectionin Fig. 3, so as to permit of a slight vertical rocking movement of the jaw b at the opposite ends thereof in the o eration of the clutch, said jaw turning on t e part 6 which bears on the head a of the arm a, in order to accomplish this result, and the object of this rocking movement of the jaw is to enable said jaw to accommodate itself to the different ositions of the clutch and to the thickness 0 the leather at different points.

The journal members b of the clutch are provided with backwardly-directed arms b, connected to form a yoke 6 with which is connected a backwardly-directed arm I)", by means of which the movable jaw 6 maybe manipulated by hand, and pivoted to the convex back of the part a of the main portion' a of the clutch, as shown at c, is a rod 0 the free end of which is threaded and provided with a thumb-nut c and in the righthand side of the arm 6 adjacent to the yoke b, is a transverse recess 0 adapted to receive the rod 0 and said rod is free to swing in a transverse vertical plane. The rod 0 is preferably pivoted at one side of the vertical center of the part a of the body portion a of the clutch and to the left side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, this arrangement being desired in order to "facilitate the operation of said rod as hereinafter described.

In practice I also secure the clutch to a- I base-plate (1, this connection being made by -means of a pivot screw, bolt, or similar device d passing upwardly through the baseplate (1 and into or through the bottom part a of the body portion a of the clutch, or said screw, bolt, or similar device 01 may bepassed downwardly through said parts, and the downwardly-directed member a of the stationary jaw a also rests on the base-plate d. The base-plate d of the clutch is mounted on a connectinglate, bar, or arm e, on which the clutch an base-plate dare longitudinally movable, and the connection between the base-plate d of the clutch and the plate, bar, or arm 6 is made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, this connection being an ordinary tongue-andgroove connection, the part e being countersunk in the bottom of the part d. The plate, bar, or arm 6 is also provided centrally and longitudinally of the top thereof with a p'lurality of ratchet-teeth 6 which are directed backwardly, and pivoted in the rear end of the base-plate d ofthe clutchis a dog or pawl f, having teeth f adapted to engage the teeth c and said dog or pawl is provided with a backwardly-directed handle member 7 ,by

which it maybe disengaged from the teeth 7,

and as thus constructed the clutch may be conveniently moved backwardly, but cannot be moved forwardly Without raising. the pawl or dog f.

In practice the )late, bar, or member 0 serves as a means for connecting the clutch with the operative arts of a leather-stretching machine as s own and described in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 772,054, hereinbefore referred to, and in practice a number of these clutches are employed as shown and described in the patent referred to, and the operation will be the same as that described in said patent. The clutches are first connected with the operative parts of the machine, and the ends of a sheet of leather or hide of leather are connected with said clutches as shown and described in said patent, and inthis operation, with the im roved form of clutches described and claime in this application .the arms I) on the movable jaws b of the various clutches are lifted so as to insert the ends of the sheet or hide of leather between the movable and stationary jaws. The arms I) are then depressed so as to cause the movable jaws b to securely hold the leather, and the rods 0 are then swung into position and the nuts 0 are turned down so as to hold the movable aws until a strain of the leather-stretching machine is thrown onto said jaws. At this time the rods 0 by reason of the fact that they are pivoted at one side of a vertical line are automatically dropped out of the recesses c in the arms b of the movable jaws b, and whenever desired the said arms may be raised in order to release said movable jaws.

It will also be observed that by means of the manner in which the base-plates d of the clutches are connected with the plates, bars, or arms 6 the clutches may be easily and conveniently adjusted to any desired point on the parts 6, and the pawl or dog f will securely hold said clutches at any point on the parts 6 notwithstanding any amount of strain that may be applied to said clutches in the operation of stretching the leather.

The object oftapering the back part a of the body portion a of the clutch upwardly and forwardly, as shown and described, is to accomplish two results first, to form the arm a, to which the jaw bis pivoted, and, second, to provide means wherebya party manipulating the clutch in the operation of connecting it witha sheet or hide of leather may see into the bodyportion of the clutch back of the aws a and b, and thus be enabled to properly adjust the jaws with relation to the end of the sheet or hide of leather.

The plate, arm, or bar 0 is provided in one end with an aperture g, by which it is pivoted to the operative parts of the leatherstretching machine as shown and described in United States Letters Patent N 0. 772,054, hereinbefore referred to, and said plate, arm, or bar is free to swing in a horizontal plane on the machine, and the clutch which is piv- IIO able, substantially asshown and described.

horizontal plane on said base-plate, and,

these two horizontal movements-that of the clutch and that of thearm or plate e-facilitate the operation "of theclutchand enable it 'to'adjnstitself=toall=positionsin-the operation of the machine. Itwill also :be apparent that the use of a clutch c'onstructed as "herein described is :not limited to any particular class of leatherstretching machines, and clutches made in this manner may be employed .in connection with various forms of leather-stretching machines, as well as in connection with a :machine similar to that shown and described in Letters Patent of the. United States No. 772,054, hereinbefore referred to.

Having fullydescribed my invention", what I claim as .new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A clutch for use in connection with l eather-stretching machines, said clutch-comprising a body portionsegmental :in' vertical longitudinal section, the bottom portion thereof being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary jaw having @an upwardlydirected transverse lip member, and with a top forwardly-directed arm having a transversehead to which is pivoted a movable j aw having a downwardly-directed lip member which bears when in operation 'on theback portion of the upwardly-directed lip member of the stationary jaw, said'mova-ble jaw being provided with a central pivot, member which bears on the head of said :arm and the opposite ends thereof being vertically mov- 2. A clutch for use in connection with leather-stretching machines, said clutch comprising a body portion segmental in vertical longitudinal section, the bottom portion thereof being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary jaw having an upwardlydirected transverse lip member, and with a top forwardly-directed arm having a transverse head to which is pivoted a movable jaw having a downwardly-directed lip member which bears when in operation on the back portionof the upwardly-directed lip member of the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided witha central pivot member which bears on the head of said arm and the opposite ends thereof being vertically movab e, and provided with a backwardly-directed yoke-arm, substantially as shown and described.

3. A clutch for use in connection with leather-stretching machines, said clutch comhead to-which is pivoted a movable lj aw hav ing adownwardly-directed lip member which bears when :in operation on the back portion of the upwardly-directed lip member of the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided with a central pivot member which bears on the head of said armand the opposite ends thereof being vertically movable,

and provided a backwardly-directed yoke-arm, and a rod pivoted to the back'of the :body portionof the clutch and adaptedto swing in a transverse vertical plane, said rod being provided at its free'end with a thumbnut, and said arm with a transverse recess adapted to receive said rod, substantially as shown and described.

4. A clutch of the'class described, comprising a body portion consisting-of a base, anda back provided-with a forwardly-directed arm, the base being provided with a forwardly-directed jaw having a transverse upwardly-directed lip, a movable jaw pivoted to the head of saidarm and provided with'a downwardlydirected transverse lip .Which bears when in use on the back of the upwardly-directed lip of the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided with a backwardly-directed arm, anda rod pivoted to the back of the body portionof theclutch and adapted toswing in a transverse vertical plane, said arm being also provided with a transverse recess adapted to receive saidrod, and said rod witha-thumbnut, substantially'as shown and described.

5. A'clutch-of the class described, comprising a body ,portionconsisting of a base, and a back provided with an upwardly and forwardly directed arm, said base being proportion of the clutch and adapted to swing in a vertical transverse plane, sa1d rod being provided with a thumb-nut at its free end and said arm with a transverse recess adapted to receive said rod, substantially as shown and described.

6. A clutch of the class described, comprising a body portion com osed of a base, and a back having a forwar ly-directed arm, said base being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary jaw, and a movable j aw pivoted to the head'of said arm and operating in connection with the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided centrally with a pivot member which bears on said head and the opposite ends of said jaw being movable in a vertical plane, substantially as shown and de- A scribed.

7. A clutch of the class described, comprisi ing a body portion composed of a base, anda back having a forwardly-directed arm, sa1d base being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary j aw, and a movable jaw pivoted to the head of said arm and operating in oonnection with the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided centrally with a pivot member which bears on said head and the opposite ends of said j aw being movable in a vertical plane, said movable jaw "being also provided with a backwardly-directed arm, substantially as shown and described.

8. A clutch of the class described, comprising a body portion composed of a base, and a back having a forwardly-directed arm, said base being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary jaw, and. a movable jaw pivoted to the head of said arm and operating in connection with the stationary jaw, said movable jaw being provided centrally with a pivot member which bears on said head and the opposite ends of said jaw being movable in a vertical plane,-said movable jaw being also provided with a backwardly-directed arm, and devices operating in connection with said arm to hold the movable jawin operative position, substantially as shown and described.

9. A clutch of the class described, comprising a body portion which is segmental in vertical and longitudinal section and comprises a base and a back the opposite sides of which are curved inwardly and upwardly to form a forwardly-directed arm, said base being provided with a forwardly-directed stationary jaw, and a movable jaw pivoted in the forwardly-directed head of said arm and provided with a backwardly-directed arm by which it may be manipulated, the opposite ends of the movable aw bein also vertically movable, substantially as s iown and described.

10. A clutch of the class described, comprising a base portion provided with a stationary transverse jaw and an upwardly and forwardly directed arm provided with a pivoted jaw, said pivoted jaw being provided with a backwardly-directed arm, and a device pivoted to the upwardly-directed part of the base and operating in connection with said backwardly-directed arm to hold the pivoted jaw in operative position, substantially as shown and described.

11. A clutch of the class described, comprising a base portion having a transverse stationary jaw and provided rearwardly of said stationary jaw with an upwardly-directed member having a forwardly-directed arm, a movable jaw pivoted to said arm and operating in connection with the stationary j aw and provided with a backwardly-directed arm, and a device ivoted to the upwardly-directed member 0 the base portion and operating in connection with said baclnvardly-directed arm for holding the movable jaw in operative position, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing Witnesses, this 5th day of October, 1905.

EZRA L. POST. Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, C. J. KLEIN. 

